Thang Long Restaurant (Westminster, CA)

Saturday, June 20 was the date of my 10-year high school reunion. I wasn't too keen on going at first, but goaded on by some of my classmates, I caved and shelled out $108 at the door to attend. The event itself was held at Don The Beachcomber in Huntington Beach (one of those kitschy tiki restaurants), and given the sorry excuse for food that we had there, I was left wondering what all the money had gone toward.

Nevertheless, it was fun to see everyone again, to see who went on to becoming smashing successes after high school, and to see who floundered out the gate, who got drafted in the NFL, who got fat, who came out of the closet, who married rich. But perhaps--and I hate to be clichéd here--the more things change, the more they stay the same. Talking to people, it seemed like the bulk of them were just like they were in high school, plus 10 years of age, a few extra pounds, and perhaps a child or two--the popular kids are still popular, the prettiest girl in our class still is, and E.T. is still, far and away, the life of the party. All this had gotten me into a rather introspective mood, as in what have I accomplished over this past decade?

In any case, after the party ended, a few dozen of us made our way to O'Malley's on Main in Seal Beach, an Irish pub. I'd just finished a pint of Guinness before I had to leave. It turns out that one of my colleagues had gotten into a scuffle with the bouncer there, and it was on me to simmer down the situation. We successfully avoided a more serious altercation, but my buddy was pretty wasted, so we needed to get him sobered up before he could drive home...

...Enter Thang Long. Somewhere along the line, it was decided that a piping hot bowl of pho would be perfect for such a task; the problem was that we needed a place that'd be open at 1:00AM. Ryan of Only Eat What Feeds Your Soul (yes, we actually went to the same high school) suggested Thang Long, specifically for their filet mignon pho. Off we went.

Interestingly, there are actually two restaurants named Thang Long in the same strip mall. The first it Pho Thang Long (which was once housed at 15579 Brookhurst), and the second is Thang Long Restaurant. The former, I gather, is supposed to specialize in pho, while the latter apparently has a larger selection of dishes (though still has a large pho selection). But from what I hear, the consensus is that the Restaurant actually has better pho, so go figure.

Pho Thang Long is famous (or infamous, rather) for its contemporary decor, replete with 20-ft ceilings, orange walls, and a waterfall. Well, Thang Long Restaurant doesn't fall far from the tree, with the same high ceilings, green walls, and a fountain. A stark contrast to the "ghettoness" of your typical pho joint no?

Ca Phe Sua Da [$2.00] | Iced Filtered Coffee with MilkCa phe sua da literally translates to "iced coffee with milk," and is basically a concoction of coffee mixed in with condensed milk, poured over ice. It was a great combination of sweet and bitter, and rather strong to boot.

Pho Tai Filet Mignon, Large [$6.95] | Rare Filet Mignon Steak
Now this is what we came for. We were first presented with a plate of the requisite pho accoutrements: bean sprouts, chili peppers, lime, Thai basil, and ngo gai (sawtooth herb). Next was a plate of thinly-sliced filet mignon, in a lovely shade of crimson. Finally came the large bowl of noodles and broth, intermixed with diced cilantro and onion; we eagerly tossed in the garnishes, threw in a few slices of beef, and tucked into the pho. I gotta say that the filet was one of the best cuts of meat that I've had with pho--extremely tender, it slid down my throat and kept me wanting more. The rest of the dish was quite tasty, though not heads-and-shoulders above other versions I've had. As usual, the various veggies, the sprouts and basil especially, provided a tangy, vegetal counterpoint to the richness of the soup, making for an enjoyable experience.

The pho here, at least the filet mignon pho, was pretty solid--I hand it to Ryan for finding this place. Though at the same time, I wonder if it'd still hold up in a non-late night, non-buzzed situation. Whatever the case, by the end of the meal, my buddy was just about sober, and was able to drive home just fine. I guess that makes Thang Long a winner in my book.

Danny: This was my first experience with filet mignon pho as well. BTW, there's absolutely nothing wrong with Denny's, as long as you go there drunk. ;)

Sharon: The decor should make you raise an eyebrow; detractors say that it's there to attract non-Vietnamese customers. I don't know if that's the case or not, but the food was solid, so I'll give it a pass, green walls and all.

Wesley: Getting hammered after finals, that's the way to do it. Reminds me of my MBA... ;)

Dason: At the minimum, tamagoyaki is fried I believe, whereas this is steamed.

Jo: It was, and was the best part of that plate!

Will: This was my first time using pho is such a manner. Usually it's Denny's or In-N-Out, if they're still open.

There are two form of egg dish can classified as tamagoyaki - 卵焼き - mostly serve sushi shop which is pan fried. There are also 伊達巻(Datemaki), which could ether steam/bake. It's cooking methos are like カステラ(Castella)except it contain fish or shrimp paste. normally Datemaki are only serve during Japanese new year and special event, but now there are pre-package one you can buy which does not contain the paste. In some sushi shop they will sell Datemaki as sweet-tamagoyaki as part of their dessert menu.

Oh Kevin! I do love this restaurant actually. The filet mignon pho is quite good but my favorite dish here has got to be the bun cha ha noi. It's a Northern style noodle dish with thit nuong and a meatloaf ball in a bowl of fish sauce with papaya and carrots. The noodles are served on the side with herbs and stuff. I was introduced to this dish after watching Anthony Bourdain eat it in his Vietnam episode and fell in love with this restaurant's version.

I've yet to go over to the green side, I'm always at the orange side for their chargroiled pork bun. I've never been there before 11pm, either, and the clientele at that hour definitely makes for a funner experience. You should try their other drinks. They're pretty good! But definitely try the bun dishes next time!